If the Managers or Supervisors of BP Oil really did sacrifice time for money, this is not unique to them. In business you hear and see this happening quite often.

Some of us, love to take short cuts. We are quite aware that the company policy has a prescribed method for doing something, but we realize that if we are able to complete the job another way it would save time and money. So we make the decision. This is probable what happened with BP Oil.

Think about it, as a Manager or Supervisor how many times have you operated outside the box or outside the company’s policies, because you feel you can save time and make more money? If you were at BP Oil what would you have done?

In the heat of the moment the adrenalin is flowing, the customer is there demanding some type of service that is not covered by policy, or the guys are there in the field or on the rig waiting on you to give the go ahead.

Is there time to analyze, to play out various scenarios?
What are your options? What impact your decision will have?
Are their lives involved?
What if your decision is not the right one?
Did the Managers at BP Oil reflect on all this?

Making more money for the company will definitely make you look good, or even finishing the project before the scheduled time. If this turn out well, it may even provide you with a promotion. You can see yourself winning branch of the year or company of the year. What about Project of the year?

Sacrificing time for money does not always work. You may take a short cut and end up with more problems than if you had taken the long way out. We all know this, and I am sure it may have happened to you several times.

Sometimes after you make the decision you recognize that a key part of the transaction was not completed or a process in the project was bypass and this would cause problems with the entire project. So what is more valuable time or money and what was valuable to the Managers of BP Oil?

As a Manager, Supervisor or even if you have your own business it is always good to ensure that when making any decision more so those where you are sacrificing time for money, that you consider all aspects of the situation:

– Explore various options – the what ifs.
– Get feedback – as Managers and Supervisors we do not always have all the answers.
– Review the costs of your decision – financial and non-financial (people/image).
– Is this within your authority?
– Do you have a backup plan?

You must remember that you would be accountable for whatever decision you make as in the case of the BP Oil officers or Managers. You cannot hide once you are the Manager, Supervisor or Business Owner you must be prepared to deal with the consequences of your decisions.

I would love to hear your views about time and money and BP Oil decisions.